Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies

Of all the baked goods out there, I'm pretty sure that cookies have always been my favorite. They are so dense with rich concentrated flavor that I can never seem to get enough of. I love cookies of all kind, and I don't know if I will ever be able to proclaim any cookie as being my favorite cookie. However, if I HAD to choose a favorite, there is a very good chance that these cookies would come to mind very quickly. I found these on Elizabeth's blog at Elizabeth's Edible Experience. She is always impressing me with her delicious recipes, and takes fantastic pictures, go check her out!

Oh my goodness, how I loved these cookies. I don't think I'll be able to make them often because these are they type of cookies that you want to make a meal of. They are so flaky and light, with a sweet strawberry taste and and are so visually appealing. Elizabeth suggests that you make them the day that you plan to eat them because they are a bit mushy the next day. So instead of baking the whole batch, we baked half of it one day, and then the other half the next day, and the dough itself seems to hold up pretty well overnight. I LOVE these cookies!

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies
Courtesy of Elizabeth's Edible Experience

Ingredients

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cream until dough start to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.

2. Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment (definitely use the parchment paper or a silpat, otherwise they're going to stick like crazy), spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar,and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.